A carburetor is used in an internal combustion engine to control a mixture of fuel and air that is provided to run the engine. Air may first flow through an air filter before entering the carburetor. A choke valve can be opened and closed in order to allow air to enter an air passage of the carburetor. The air passage may contain a venturi in which the size of the air passage is restricted. The venturi can be variously configured in different arrangements of carburetors and may in some instances even be absent. Fuel can be drawn into the venturi or other portion of the air passage through the carburetor. A throttle valve is present that can also be opened and closed in order to regulate the air and/or fuel that is being transferred out of the carburetor from the venturi.
In order to start a cold engine, the choke valve is closed to prevent or minimize air entry into the venturi. A throttle valve is opened and a vacuum can be created which draws fuel into the venturi so that the mixture leaving the carburetor through the throttle valve has an increased amount of fuel. Once the engine has warmed and has been run for some length of time, the choke valve can be opened in order to provide a more optimum mixture of fuel and air to the engine. The user can close the throttle valve to decrease air flowing through the venturi. The engine will enter an idle state when this is done and a vacuum created by this closure will function to draw a minimum amount of fuel and air through apertures that allow the engine to run in an idle condition.
The placement of an engine into an idle condition is done by actuating the throttle valve through actuation of a power controller linked to the throttle valve. The power controller may have a “fast” setting, a “slow” setting, and a “stop” setting in which the throttle valve is opened or closed varying amounts. Although capable of causing the throttle to close to an idle it may be the case that the user inadvertently shuts off the engine instead of simply placing it into an idle. Further, if the power controller is a lever the user may inadvertently place the lever into the wrong position and subsequently fail to place the engine into idle. Also, snow or other elements may cover or enter the power controller, for example when the engine is that of a snow blower, thus preventing or making it difficult for one to properly actuate the power controller. Additionally, the power controller may be in a spot that is not convenient or easy for the user to actuate in order to place the engine into an idle condition. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.